Vice President Kamala Harris repeated the claim that a woman in Georgia died due to delayed care because of abortion restrictions. This statement has been called false by several doctors.
Harris appeared on the podcast "Call Her Daddy," discussing the death of Amber Nicole Thurman. Host Alex Cooper linked Thurman’s death to the Supreme Court's ruling and Georgia's abortion limits.
"Amber was a young mother," Harris said. She talked about how Thurman had just begun to rebuild her life, getting her own apartment and enrolling in nursing school.
When Thurman found out she was pregnant, she didn’t want to continue the pregnancy. Harris explained how Georgia’s six-week abortion limit prevented her from receiving care locally, forcing her to go out of state.
Harris claimed Thurman faced delays at an out-of-state clinic and, after complications from a medication abortion, experienced a 20-hour delay in treatment at a hospital. Harris suggested Georgia’s laws were responsible for this delay.
ProPublica recently published an article citing Thurman’s death and another case as examples of the impact of abortion restrictions. Harris and other Democrats have used these stories to argue for expanded abortion access.
"Some people say they support exceptions," Harris added. "But what does that mean? Waiting until a woman is nearly dead before offering care? That’s outrageous."
However, OB-GYNs have criticized this narrative. Dr. Ingrid Skop from the Charlotte Lozier Institute called it "fearmongering" and claimed Georgia’s laws do allow doctors to save a woman's life.
Other critics, including Rep. Rich McCormick, argue that Thurman’s death was due to complications from abortion pills, not state laws. He clarified that Georgia’s law protects women’s health, with exceptions always available for life-threatening situations.
Dr. Christina Francis from AAPLOG added that misinformation about abortion laws is harming women. She stressed that women need accurate information to seek timely care when facing complications.
ProPublica, however, stands by its reporting, noting that a state committee concluded Thurman’s death was preventable.